Floor pad holder



May 18, 1965 A. ANDERS FLOOR PAD HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1964 y 8, 1965 A. ANDERS 3,183,542

FLOOR PAD HOLDER Filed March 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,183,542 FLOGR PAD HOLDER Archie Anders, Chicago, Ill., assignor to James H. Rhodes & Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,871 7 Claims. (Cl. 15-246) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 249,981, filed January 4, 1963, entitled Floor Pad Holder, now abandoned, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

This invention relates to an adaptor for securing a pad to a floor maintenance machine and, particularly, to an adaptor that can be readily assembled and disassembled to facilitate installation and replacement of the pad.

Floor maintenance machines are generally designed to be used to perform a number of different operations, such as polishing, scrubbing, and buffing. The machines are adapted to do these different jobs by applying different pads to the basic brush that is fixedly secured to the machine for rotary movement relative thereto. These pads are generally disc-shaped and they are suitably connected to the main brush or are placed in frictional engagement between the brush and floor pad and are driven by the brush through this frictional engagement. Where the pad has been directly connected to the brush, the practice has been to use relatively complicated structures requiring a large number of parts that can be easily lost. These structures were only usable with brushes of a given thickness. Also, the large number of parts made the changing of the pads a very time consuming job.

In the case of a machine that employed a frictional relationship between the brush and pad, the pad was merely centered under the circular bristle brush which has the obvious disadvantage in that it was necessary to repeatedly center the pad since the pad tended to slide relative to the brush. Such an arrangement was otherwise unsuitable in that the pad drops off the machine when the brush is lifted or tilted away from the floor.

Both of these arrangements pointed out the obvious need for a mechanism that when located in place will fix the position of the pad relative to the machine, but will permit ready removal and replacement of the pad. Such a device must also be adaptable to accommodate a wide variety of brush sizes.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an adaptor that is designed to quickly and easily secure a pad to a floor maintenance machine. The adaptor consists of very few parts which can be readily adjusted to-accommoda'te brushes of different thicknesses. The adaptor clamps the inner portion of an annular pad against the brush bristles and secures the pad to the backing of a brush or other member driven by the floor maintenance machine'by a locking plate held in place by a fastener'member. The

fastener detachably secures the locking plate to a fastener ing in the locking plate which facilitates locking movement of the fastner member when locking the plate in position and (2) stop means for limiting the travel of the fastener member relative to the lower plate member. The locking plate and fastener are secured against relative movement by a conventional retaining means. By providing the aforementioned stop means, the possibility that the fastener member may contact the motor housing when the brush and associated pad and holder are mounted in place is completely eliminated.

The structure by which the above and other advantages of the invention are retained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating two preferred struc tural embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a lower portion of a floor maintenance machine;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the relative positions of the pad and adaptor assembly when the pad is secured in place;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the adaptor assembly; FIGURE 4 is a view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along lines 5--5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing a second embodiment of the floor pad holder;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom View of the modified pad holder assembly; and

FIGURE 9 is a partial perspective View of the central portion of the fastener plate assembly as shown in FIGURE 7.

' Reference will first be made to the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 through 5.

The lower portion of the floor maintenance machine illustrated in FIGURE 1 consist of a drive shaft 1 to which the brush 2 is connected and through which the brush is driven by the driven mechanism (not shown) of the machine. The brush 2, connected to shaft 1 by suitable fastening means, consists of a wooden base 3 and a plurality of outwardly extending bristles 4.

When the maintenance machine is to be used for buffing or polishing, a pad such as a fibrous pad 5 is secured to the brush 2, as shown in FIGURE 2, by a novel adaptor assembly to which this application is directed. Generally speaking, the pad 5, which is in the shape of an annular disc, is held against the bristles 4 by a dish-shaped locking plate 6 having a central depression 7 and bottom Wall 8 that fits within the central opening 9 of the fibrous pad. The overhanging lip 19 of the locking plate 5 engages the outer surface of the edge of the pad surrounding opening 9 to retain it in place against the bristles.

The locking plate 6 is fixed relatively to the brush by a T-shaped fastener member 11. The T-shaped fastener 11 includes a head portion 12 that engages the outer surface of the bottom wall 8 of the locking plate 6, and a leg portion '13 that extends through an elongated slot 14 in the bottom wall 8 of the plate 6. The head portion of the fastener is disposed within the depression 7 of the locking plate to avoid contact between the fastener head and floor which would cause damage to the floor. The T-shaped fastener is adapted to engage at its inner end. thereof a fastener plate assembly 16 that is fixed to the wooden base 3 of the brush 2 by a plurality of screws that extend through openings 17 in the fastener plate assembly 16. There are a plurality of outwardly spaced openings 17 provided in the fastener plate assembly 16 so that the plate assembly can be used with a brush having different diameter center openings 18. It is noted that the Width of the fastener plate assembly is lessthan the opening 18 in the brush base to allow fluid to pass through the opening to the brush if such is desired.

The fastener plate assembly 16 includes a lower plate member 20 that defines a central opening 21, the longitudinal dimension of which is equal to the width of the widest portion of leg 13. Thus, the leg 13 of the fastener 11 may be inserted through the fastener plate assembly 16 if the leg 13 is in alignment with the long dimension of the opening 21. The narrow part of the opening 21 is bordered by a pair of parallel inwardly extending I flanges that are shaped to guide and retain the fastener 11in locking engagement relative to the fastener plate assembly during clockwise movement of the fastener and locking plate 6, as shownin FIGURE 3, and to release the fastener 11 and locking plate 6 from the fastener plate I assembly during counterclockwise movement thereof. To thisend, the flange portions on one side of the opening 21 are shaped to form a cam surface 22 and a spaced abutment 23, respectively. The flange on the opposite side of the opening 21 is similarly formed to define a cam surface 24 and an abutrnent'25. Between the flange sections 22, 23 and 24, 25 are a pair of aligned slots 27, 28 into which the leg portion 13 of the fastener member 11 is directed when the fastener is moved intolocking'engagement with the fastener plate assembly 16.

The fastener plate may be bowed, as shown, to provide clearance for the fastener if space for receiving the fastener within the brush is unavailable.

Surrounding the inwardly extending flange portions and secured to the fastener plate is an annular flange portion 30 of plate 31 connected to plate'20 which guides the movement of the leg 13 of the fastener member 11 when the fastener member is rotated relative thereto.

As previously mentioned, the novel fastener member 11 employed in the adaptor shown in FIGURES 1 through 5 includes an elongated head portion 12 that extends across the bottom wall 8 of plate 6. The leg portion 13 of the fastener includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, outwardly extending locking fingers 32 that exi tend outwardly from both sides thereof. One set of these fingers, depending on'the brush thickness, ride up the cam surfaces 22, 24 into slots 27, 28 to locate the fastener in place relative to the fastener plate assembly to retain the pad against the brush. The space between adjacent fingers is greater than the height of cam surfaces 22, 241 and less than the height of abutments 23, 25. Thus, the fastener can ride up the cam surfaces during rotationa1 movement thereof, but such movement will be limited by the abutments 23, 25.

In the event it is desired to use the adaptor with smaller brushes, then the length of the fastener can be readily reduced in size. This latter is generally done if the length of the fastener is likely to interfere with the drive mechanism' of the floor maintenance machine. To accomplish unuse d'portion of the fastenerleg may be removed by merely bending that portion along the score line located inwardly of the fingers .in locking-engagement with the' fastener plate assembly. 7

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES6 through 9, parts similar to those employed in the, embodiment in FIGURES lthroughS are given the same numbers. The

locking plate 36 shown in FIGURE 6 is similar to locking plate 6 in that itcontains a central depression 3'7, a bottom wall'38, and a'lip portion 41,1which generally correspond in both structure and function to the corresponding portions of locking plate 6. The two locking plates difier I in that the bottom wall 38 is provided with a central circular opening 39 having a diameter equal to the width of the leg portion of the fastener member 42 of FIGURE 6 instead of the elongated slot 14 shown in FIGURE 3. With this arrangement, the end of the leg of the fastener member is in full view during the locking movement thereof, which thus greatly facilitates the locking into position of the pad relative to the brush by means of the pad holder. assembly. The details of the interlocking assembly between the end of the fastener and the fastener plate assembly of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 6 through 9 are generally similar to those in FIGURES 1 through 5, and only the ,diiferences therebetween will be discussed hereinafter. p

The fastener member42 is retained in position relative to the locking plate 36 by means of a'cotter pin 44 that extends through an opening 43 in the leg 13 of the fastener member 11, which opening 43 is located adjacent the juncture of the head 12 and the leg 13 of the fastener member. The cotter pin 44 extends through the opening 43 and has its opposite ends located diametrically disposed, oppositely extending recesses 40 formed in the bottom wall 38 of the locking plate 36.

In this embodiment, the location of the end of the leg portion 13 of the fastener 11 is controlled to insure that when the brush, pad and associated pad holder assembly 7 are mounted on the floor maintenance machine, the fastener will not damage any portion thereof. To this end, the fastener plate'assembly 16' adapted to be secured to the wooden base 3 of the brush 2 is provided with a cap member 46 that includes an annular flange section 47 that limits the inward movement of fastener-leg 13. As shown, the cap includes an opening, but the largest portion -thereof is smaller than the Width ofrthe' fastener member, and thus the fastener member cannot extend therethrough. It remains to note that the cam and abutment interlocking arrangement between the fastener member and fastener plate assembly employed in FIGURES 6 through 9 is. substantially, identical to that shown in FIGURES 1 through 5, and thus further discussion thereof is not believed necessary.

Method of assembly i A pad is secured to the brush 1 by the novel adaptor assembly shown in FIGURES 1 through in the following manner:

An annular pad 5 to befixedly secured to the brush 2 is held against the bristles 4 of the brush by the locking plate 6. The depression 7 of the locking plate is disposed within the recess 9 of-the pad 5 with the overhanging lip 10 in engagement with the annular outer surface of the pad surrounding opening 9. The leg portion 13 of fastener 12.is then extended through the slot 14 in the bottom wall 8 of the locking plate and through opening 21 in the fastener plate assembly 16 secured to brush 2 by suitable fastening means; The fastenerhead 12 overhangs slot 14 and rests against the bottom wall of dish-shaped locking plate 6. The fastener 12 and locking platedare then rotated clockwise through an angle of to move the outwardly extending fingers 32 of fastener leg 13 upjthe cam surfaces 22, 24v into the aligned: slots 27, 28

located adjacent the;c'am surfaces. In'this position, the fastener is retained against longitudinal movement" and thusthe pad is fixedly secured in place-relative to the brush 2 of the floor maintenance machine. Further rotation of the, fastener and locking plate is; prevented by the abutments 23,25 of the fastener plate assembly. The

securing of the locking plate 6 to the brush results in the inner edge portion of the pad being deformed inwardly' relative to thepad bristles with the result that the locking plate-and fastener will be out of engagementgwith the floor when the floor maintenance machineis operated.

When assembling the floor pad holder comprising the second embodiment, the fastener member 42 is first inserted through the opening 39 in plate 36 and the cotter pin 44 is directed through hole 43 and its ends disposed in recesses 40. The legs of the cotter pin are then spread apart to lock it in position. The locking plate 3-6 and fastener member'42 are then moved into the center hole 9 of the pad and the fastener leg portion 13 is then extended through the opening 21 in the fastener plate assembly 16. The fastener member is then turned onequarter turn to the right until the end thereof clicks into the aligned slots 27, 28 formed between the cam surfaces 22, 24 and the adjacent spaced abutments 23, 25. In the event the leg 13 of the fastener member is too long and contacts the inner end of the cap without securing the pad in place, the fastener leg is reduced in size by bending the excess portion of the leg along the relevant score line.

Thus, it can be seen that there are provided two embodiments of an adaptor assembly for securing a pad to a brush, which fastener assemblies consist of a minimum number of parts that can be readily manipulated to remove them from the brush, to replace the pad with another pad, or to remove the pad completely. The invention is not limited to the two embodiments disclosed herein since many changes can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 through 9, other means could be employed to lock the fastener to the locking plate. Also, if desired, the locking means could be eliminated.

It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications that fall within the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush secured to a floor maintenance machine having a base and bristles extending from one face thereof comprising a locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush bristles, a fastener plate assembly adapted to be rigidly mounted to a central portion of the brush, a T-shaped fastener having a leg portion adapted to extend through a slot defined by said locking plate and a central opening defined by said fastener plate, the leg of said fastener defining a plurality of axially spaced outwardly extending finger portions, said fastener plate assembly including locking means adapted to cooperate with various finger portions of the fastener whereby the pad holder can accommodate brushes of varying widths.

2. An adaptor as in claim 1 in which the fastener leg defines transversely extending grooves between the axially spaced finger portions whereby the length of the fastener leg can be varied as desired.

3. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush secured to a floor maintenance machine having a brush and bristles extending from one face thereof comprising a cup-shaped locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush bristles, said locking plate adapted to extend partially within the opening in the pad and defining an elongated slot, a fastener plate assembly adapted to be readily mounted to a central portion of the brush and defining a central opening, a T-shaped fastener having a head portion adapted to engage said locking plate and a leg portion extending through said slot and central opening, said leg portion defining a plurality of axially spaced outwardly extending finger portions and transversely extending grooves between the finger portions, said fastener plate defining flange means on opposite sides of said central opening, said flange means defining cam surfaces for guiding the fastener fingers into a locked position, slot means for receiving the fingers, and abutment means for preventing the fastener from moving out of said slot.

4. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush secured to a floor maintenance machine having a base and bristles extending from one face thereof comprising a locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush bristles, a fastener plate-assembly adapted to be rigidly mounted to a central portion of the brush, a T-shaped fastener having a leg portion adapted to extend through an opening defined by said locking plate and a central opening defined by said fastener plate, the leg of said fastener defining an outwardly extending finger portion, said fastener plate assembly including locking means adapted to cooperate with the finger portion of the fastener whereby the pad holder can acommodate brushes of varying thicknesses.

5. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush secured to a floor maintenance machane having a brush and bristles extending from one face thereof comprising a cup-shaped locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush brustles and defining a centrally disposed circular opening, a fastener plate assembly adapted to be mounted to a central portion of the brush and defining an elongated opening having a length equal to the diameter of said circular opening and disposed in alignment with the opening in said locking plate, a T-shaped fastener having a head portion adapted to engage said locking plate and a leg portion having a width substantially equal to the diameter of the circular opening in said locking plate, said leg portion adapted to extend through said aligned openings and defining at least one pair of outwardly extending finger portions, means connecting the fastener to said locking plate, said fastener plate defining longitudinally extending flange means on opposite sides of said opening, said flange means defining cam surfaces for guiding the finger portions of said fastener into a locked position, slot means for receiving the fingers of the fastener when in the locked position, and abutment means for preventing the fastener from moving out of said slot.

6. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush of a floor maintenance machine comprising a cup-shaped locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush bristles and defining a centrally disposed circular opening and outwardly extending recesses disposed on opposite sides thereof, a fastener plate assembly adapted to be mounted to a central portion of the brush and defining an elongated opening having a length equal to the diameter of said circular opening and disposed in alignment with the opening in said locking plate, a T- shaped fastener having a head portion adapted to engage said locking plate and a leg portion defining an opening and having a width substantially equal to the diameter of the circular opening in said locking plate, said leg portion adapted to extend through said aligned openings and defining at least one pair of outwardly extending finger portions, connecting means extending through the opening in said fastener leg and having its end portions disposed in said recesses for connecting the fastener to said locking plate, said fastener plate assembly defining means for guiding and locking the finger portions of said fastener relative thereto.

7. An adaptor for attaching an annular pad to an annular-shaped brush of a floor maintenance machine comprising a cup-shaped locking plate for clamping the pad against the brush bristles and defining a centrally disposed circular opening and outwardly extending recesses disposed on opposite sides thereof, a fastener plate assembly adapted to be mounted to a central portion of the brush and defining an elongated opening having a length equal to the diameter of said circular opening and disposed in alignment therewith, said fastener plate assembly also including a cap member located on the side opposite said locking plate, a T-shaped fastener having a head portion adapted to engage said locking plate and a leg portion defining an opening and having a width substantially equal to the diameter of the circular opening in said locking plate, said leg portion adapted to extend through saidaligned openings and defining at least one pair of outwardly extending finger portions, the inward movement of which is limited by said cap member to prevent damage to the floor maintenance machine, con- References Cited-by the Examiner nectlng means extendlng through the opening In said V UNITED STATES PATENTS fastener leg and havlng its end portions disposed in said recesses for connecting the fastener to said locking plate, 2,995,765 3/61 Ballato 0 said fastener plate assembly defining means for guiding 5 3,135,981 6/64 Fitch et a1. 15230.1

and locking the finger portions of said fastener relative thereto. WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

4. AN ADAPTOR FOR ATTACHING AN ANNULAR PAD TO AN ANNULAR-SHAPED BRUSH SECURED TO A FLOOR MAINTENANCE MACHINE HAVING A BASE AND BRISTLES EXTENDING FROM ONE FACE THEREOF COMPRISING A LOCKING PLATE FOR CLAMPING THE PAD AGAINST THE BRUSH BRISTLES, A FASTENER PLATE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO BE RIGIDLY MOUNTED TO A CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BRUSH, A T-SHAPED FASTENER HAVING A LEG PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH AN OPENING DEFINED BY SAID LOCKING PLATE AND A CENTRAL OPENING DEFINED BY SAID FASTENER PLATE, THE LEG OF SAID FASTENER DEFINING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FINGER PORTION, SAID FASTENER PLATE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING LOCKING MEANS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH THE FINGER PORTION OF THE FASTENER WHEREBY THE PAD HOLDER CAN ACOMMODATE BRUSHES OF VARYING THICKNESSES. 